TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Proverbs 6:6–11. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Solomon, in these verses, addresses himself to the sluggard who loves his ease, lives in idleness, minds no business, sticks to nothing, brings nothing to pass, and in a particular manner is careless in the business of religion. Slothfulness is as sure a way to poverty, though not so short a way, as rash suretiship. He speaks here to the sluggard,
I.By way of instruction, Pro 6:6-8.
He sends him to school, for sluggards must be schooled. He is to take him to school himself, for, if the scholar will take no pains, the master must take the more; the sluggard is not willing to come to school to him (dreaming scholars will never love wakeful teachers) and therefore he has found him out another school, as low as he can desire. Observe,
1.The master he is sent to school to: Go to the ant, to the bee, so the Septuagint. Man is taught more than the beasts of the earth, and made wiser that the fowls of heaven, and yet is so degenerated that he may learn wisdom from the meanest insects and be shamed by them. When we observe the wonderful sagacities of the inferior creatures we must not only give glory to the God of nature, who has made them thus strangely, but receive instruction to ourselves; by spiritualizing common things, we may make the things of God both easy and ready to us, and converse with them daily.
2.The application of mind that is required in order to learn of this master: Consider her ways. The sluggard is so because he does not consider; nor shall we ever learn to any purpose, either by the word or the works of God, unless we set ourselves to consider. Particularly, if we would imitate others in that which is good, we must consider their ways, diligently observe what they do, that we may do likewise, Phi 3:17.
3.The lesson that is to be learned. In general, learn wisdom, consider, and be wise; that is the thing we are to aim at in all our learning, not only to be knowing, but to be wise. In particular, learn to provide meat in summer; that is,
(1.)We must prepare for hereafter, and not mind the present time only, not eat up all, and lay up nothing, but in gathering time treasure up for a spending time. Thus provident we must be in our worldly affairs, not with an anxious care, but with a prudent foresight; lay in for winter, for straits and wants that may happen, and for old age; much more in the affairs of our souls. We must provide meat and food, that which is substantial and will stand us in stead, and which we shall most need. In the enjoyment of the means of grace provide for the want of them, in life for death, in time for eternity; in the state of probation and preparation we must provide for the state of retribution.
(2.)We must take pains, and labour in our business, yea, though we labour under inconveniences. Even in summer, when the weather is hot, the ant is busy in gathering food and laying it up, and does not indulge her ease, nor take her pleasure, as the grasshopper, that sings and sports in the summer and then perishes in the winter. The ants help one another; if one have a grain of corn too big for her to carry home, her neighbours will come in to her assistance.
(3.)We must improve opportunities, we must gather when it is to be had, as the ant does in summer and harvest, in the proper time. It is our wisdom to improve the season while that favours us, because that may be done then which cannot be done at all, or not so well done, at another time. Walk while you have the light.
4.The advantages which we have of learning this lesson above what the ant has, which will aggravate our slothfulness and neglect if we idle away our time. She has no guides, overseers, and rulers, but does it of herself, following the instinct of nature; the more shame for us who do not in like manner follow the dictates of our own reason and conscience, though besides them we have parents, masters, ministers, magistrates, to put us in mind of our duty, to check us for the neglect of it, to quicken us to it, to direct us in it, and to call us to an account about it. The greater helps we have for working out our salvation the more inexcusable shall we be if we neglect it.
II.By way of reproof, Pro 6:9-11. In these verses,
1.He expostulates with the sluggard, rebuking him and reasoning with him, calling him to his work, as a master does his servant that has over-slept himself: "How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? How long wouldst thou sleep if one would let thee alone? When wilt thou think it time to arise?" Sluggards should be roused with a How long? This is applicable, (1.) To those that are slothful in the way of work and duty, in the duties of their particular calling as men or their general calling as Christians. "How long wilt thou waste thy time, and when wilt thou be a better husband of it? How long wilt thou love thy ease, and when wilt thou learn to deny thyself, and to take pains? How long wilt thou bury thy talents, and when wilt thou begin to trade with them? How long wilt thou delay, and put off, and trifle away thy opportunities, as one regardless of hereafter; and when wilt thou stir up thyself to do what thou hast to do, which, if it be not done, will leave thee for ever undone?" (2.) To those that are secure in the way of sin and danger: "Hast thou not slept enough? Is it not far in the day? Does not thy Master call? Are not the Philistines upon thee? When then wilt thou arise?"
2.He exposes the frivolous excuses he makes for himself, and shows how ridiculous he makes himself. When he is roused he stretched himself, and begs, as for alms, for more sleep, more slumber; he is well in his warm bed, and cannot endure to think of rising, especially of rising to work. But, observe, he promises himself and his master that he will desire but a little more sleep, a little more slumber, and then he will get up and go to his business. But herein he deceives himself; the more a slothful temper is indulged the more it prevails; let him sleep awhile, and slumber awhile, and still he is in the same tune; still he asks for a little more sleep, yet a little more; he never thinks he has enough, and yet, when he is called, pretends he will come presently. Thus men's great work is left undone by being put off yet a little longer, de die in diem - from day to day; and they are cheated of all their time by being cheated of the present moments. A little more sleep proves an everlasting sleep. Sleep on now, and take your rest.
3.He gives him fair warning of the fatal consequences of his slothfulness, Pro 6:11. (1.) Poverty and want will certainly come upon those that are slothful in their business. If men neglect their affairs, they not only will not go forward, but they will go backward. He that leaves his concerns at sixes and sevens will soon see them go to wreck and ruin, and bring his noble to nine-pence. Spiritual poverty comes upon those that are slothful in the service of God; those will want oil, when they should use it, that provide it not in their vessels. (2.) "It will come silently and insensibly, will grow upon thee, and come step by step, as one that travels, but will without fail come at last." It will leave thee as naked as if thou wert stripped by a highwayman; so bishop Patrick. (3.) "It will come irresistibly, like an armed man, whom thou canst not oppose nor make thy part good against."
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“All the time this kind of man stirs up troubles in the city.” Indeed! The words “all the time” are quite strong! In fact, even when such a person intends to command something good, his method of command is still full of suspicion. He leads people to fight and troubles secure cities with riots. This kind of a person has no peaceful spirit, nor has he listened to Jesus, who said, “How blessed are the peacemakers.”
“And poverty will come upon you like an evil traveler, and want like a good runner.” Nothing is worse than poverty. It comes immediately to the idle and even overtakes strong runners in its speed. Poverty is just like need: poverty is lack of knowledge; need is lack of virtue. Can you see the absolute excellence of work? Will you not be taught by instinct? Learn then from an attempt at doing something. Or, do you want to appear even more irrational? Then run away from poverty. Is work at first difficult? Then look to its results. Is idleness sweet? Then consider what comes out of it in the end. So let us not look at the beginning of things, but let us also see where they end up. The one who goes out of his house does not want to stop along the way, but already at the beginning of his journey is thinking about the end. Because he starts out this way, his beginning will bring him to the end. But you do quite the opposite.
"And poverty will come upon you like a traveler," etc. For poverty and misery are the ultimate punishment, in which the damned deserve nothing of wealth: they will come like a traveler, because unforeseen and sudden; like an armed man, because they cannot be conquered perpetually. It is clear according to the letter, that sloth is the nurse of poverty and indigence. But if you are diligent, etc. The earthly fruits we reap are not comparable to a spring, but to a cistern, because they feed the gatherer for a time and eventually run out; but he who is diligent in laboring for heavenly riches, the harvest of this, like a spring, will come, because it will perfect the enduring reward of labors. And poverty will flee far from you. Because I will be satisfied, he says, when your glory is made manifest.
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Summary
Proverbs 6:11 issues a profound and urgent warning against the insidious dangers of idleness and procrastination, asserting that destitution is not a random misfortune but an inevitable and relentless consequence for those who neglect diligence. Through two powerful similes, the verse vividly portrays the approach of poverty as a steady, unyielding traveler, and the subsequent arrival of want as an overwhelming, inescapable force, akin to an armed assailant. This serves as a potent call to embrace foresight, responsibility, and consistent effort in all aspects of life, thereby averting such a grim and inescapable fate.
Context
Literary Context
Proverbs 6:11 serves as the climactic conclusion to a concise yet impactful didactic unit found in Proverbs 6:6-11. This section, often titled "The Admonition to the Sluggard," opens with a direct imperative: "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise" Proverbs 6:6. The preceding verses meticulously detail the ant's exemplary industriousness, highlighting its self-motivation, foresight in gathering provisions without external supervision, and diligent preparation for future needs. In stark contrast, the sluggard is characterized by excessive sleep and a profound love for idleness, encapsulated by rhetorical questions like "How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?" Proverbs 6:9. The entire passage functions as a cohesive unit, presenting a stark dichotomy between the wisdom inherent in diligence and the folly that inevitably leads to the dire predictions of verse 11, emphasizing that natural and divine consequences invariably follow one's choices.
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Israel, an agrarian society, the very fabric of daily life and survival depended heavily on consistent diligence in farming, animal husbandry, and various crafts. A lack of sustained effort directly translated into crop failure, loss of livestock, and an inability to provide for one's household, leading to severe personal and familial hardship. Unlike modern societies, a formal social safety net was largely absent; while community support existed, persistent idleness was generally viewed with strong disapproval and led to dire personal circumstances. The imagery employed in Proverbs 6:11 would have resonated deeply with its original audience. The "traveler" represented a slow but certain approach, a familiar sight on ancient roads, while an "armed man" or "man of shield" (a soldier, warrior, or possibly a robber) symbolized an irresistible, destructive, and often violent force, signifying an invasion of personal security, well-being, and property. This imagery powerfully conveyed the inescapable and devastating nature of the consequences of sloth.
Key Themes
This verse robustly contributes to several foundational themes woven throughout the book of Proverbs. Foremost, it powerfully underscores the theme of consequences of choices, illustrating with vivid clarity that actions—or, critically, inactions—have direct, predictable, and often severe outcomes. It champions the value of diligence and hard work as indispensable virtues for human flourishing and prosperity, contrasting them sharply with the destructive and impoverishing nature of sloth and procrastination. Furthermore, the proverb subtly articulates an aspect of divine order within creation, where wisdom (encompassing practical virtues like diligence, foresight, and responsible stewardship) inherently leads to blessing and provision, while folly (manifested as laziness) inevitably culminates in hardship and want. The warning issued here is not arbitrary but reflects the natural outworking of God's design for human flourishing, a principle consistently echoed in other condemnations of laziness, such as in Proverbs 10:4 and the extended warning in Proverbs 24:30-34.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term denotes a state of destitution, indigence, or severe material deprivation. It signifies a profound lack of resources, often implying extreme need and hardship. In this context, rêysh is presented as the direct and inevitable outcome of the sluggard's persistent inaction and neglect.
Closely related to "poverty," machçôwr refers to deficiency, lack, scarcity, or need. It emphasizes the absence of what is necessary for sustenance, comfort, and a basic quality of life. The pairing of rêysh and machçôwr creates a comprehensive and stark picture of utter destitution, highlighting both the state of being poor and the felt experience of lacking necessities.
This word literally means "shield" or "buckler," a defensive piece of armor. When used in conjunction with "man" (H376, ʼîysh), "an armed man" or "man of shield" idiomatically refers to a warrior, soldier, or one equipped for battle. It conveys the idea of an irresistible, forceful, and potentially violent arrival, underscoring the overwhelming, unassailable, and inescapable nature of the impending destitution once it fully takes hold.
Verse Breakdown
"So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth,"
This initial clause vividly portrays the gradual, yet absolutely certain, approach of destitution. "Poverty" (rêysh) is personified as a "traveler" (hâlak), implying a steady, predictable, and relentless journey. This imagery suggests that financial ruin or severe lack does not typically strike the idle suddenly or unexpectedly. Instead, it creeps in slowly, almost imperceptibly, through consistent neglect, procrastination, and a profound lack of foresight. The sluggard, often oblivious to the subtle erosion of their resources and opportunities, frequently fails to recognize the advancing peril until it is too late, much like a traveler steadily advancing towards an inevitable destination.
"and thy want as an armed man."
This second clause intensifies the warning, depicting the final, devastating, and overwhelming arrival of destitution. "Want" (machçôwr) is personified as an "armed man" or "man of shield" (mâgên with ʼîysh), a warrior or assailant. This powerful imagery conveys an overwhelming, aggressive, and irresistible force. Once poverty and want fully arrive, they do so with an unassailable power, leaving the victim helpless, defenseless, and utterly unable to resist or escape their grip. It speaks to the complete devastation and inescapable nature of the consequences that stem from persistent idleness, symbolizing a total loss of security and well-being.
Literary Devices
Proverbs 6:11 masterfully employs powerful Simile to convey its stark warning. The verse explicitly compares "poverty" to "one that travelleth" and "want" to "an armed man," using the conjunction "as." This direct comparison helps the reader conceptualize the abstract and often gradual process of destitution in concrete, relatable, and visually impactful terms. Furthermore, the verse effectively utilizes Personification, attributing human qualities and actions to inanimate concepts: poverty "comes" and want arrives with the force and inevitability of a "man." This makes the consequences feel more immediate, active, and threatening. The progression from the slow, steady advance of a traveler to the sudden, overwhelming force of an armed assailant also creates a strong sense of Foreshadowing, building tension and emphasizing the inevitable and increasingly severe nature of the impending doom for the sluggard.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This proverb is deeply embedded within the broader biblical theology of wisdom, responsible stewardship, and the inherent consequences woven into the fabric of creation. It reflects a fundamental principle established by God: diligence, hard work, and foresight lead to provision, flourishing, and stability, while idleness, neglect, and procrastination inevitably lead to lack, hardship, and ruin. This is not merely a practical observation about economic principles but a profound theological truth about how the world, under God's sovereign governance, operates. It underscores the vital importance of human responsibility and active participation in managing the resources, talents, and opportunities entrusted by God. The warning serves as a divine encouragement to live wisely, understanding that the neglect of duty is not benign but carries severe, often self-inflicted, penalties that are consistent with the moral order of the universe.
Reflection and Application
Proverbs 6:11 transcends simple financial advice; it is a profound and pressing call to intentional living and responsible stewardship in every dimension of life. It compels us to honestly examine areas where we might be neglecting diligence—whether in our vocations, relationships, spiritual disciplines, physical health, or personal development. The "traveler" metaphor serves as a sobering reminder that neglect often accumulates subtly, making it dangerously easy to ignore until the consequences become overwhelming and difficult to reverse. The "armed man" metaphor then acts as a shocking wake-up call, emphasizing that once the full weight of our negligence hits, it can be devastating, leaving us feeling helpless and without recourse. This verse urgently implores us to cultivate a proactive mindset, to work diligently, plan wisely, and consistently invest our time and effort into what truly matters, thereby building a foundation of security, flourishing, and well-being, not just materially, but holistically across all aspects of our existence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this verse only about financial poverty, or does it have broader implications for life?
While the immediate context and the specific imagery of "poverty" and "want" certainly point to financial and material destitution, the wisdom principles articulated in Proverbs are rarely confined to a single dimension of life. The warning against idleness and its consequences can and should be understood to extend to spiritual poverty (a lack of spiritual growth, vitality, or intimacy with God due to neglecting disciplines like prayer, Bible study, or fellowship), relational poverty (strained, distant, or broken relationships due to a lack of consistent investment, communication, and effort), or even a poverty of purpose and meaning in life due to a lack of diligent pursuit of one's God-given calling and gifts. The core message is that neglect, apathy, or chronic idleness in any significant area of life will inevitably lead to a corresponding lack, deficit, or void, much like the foolish virgins who neglected to prepare for the bridegroom's arrival in Matthew 25:1-13.
Does this verse imply that all poverty is a direct result of individual laziness?
No, this verse does not imply that all forms of poverty are a direct consequence of individual laziness. The broader biblical narrative and theological understanding acknowledge numerous complex causes of poverty, including systemic injustice, oppression, natural disasters, illness, disability, and societal structures that disadvantage certain groups (e.g., Deuteronomy 15:7, Amos 2:6-7). Proverbs 6:11 specifically addresses the poverty that results from personal idleness, sloth, and a lack of foresight, which is presented as a distinct and avoidable cause. It is a pointed warning to those who choose a path of consistent negligence and procrastination, not a blanket condemnation of all who experience hardship. The book of Proverbs frequently highlights the direct consequences of personal choices and character, but it does not negate or ignore the myriad other complex factors that contribute to life's difficulties and disparities.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Proverbs 6:11 issues a stern warning about the earthly consequences of idleness, its wisdom finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment not in a direct prophecy, but in the person and perfect work of Jesus Christ, who flawlessly embodied diligence and unwavering purposeful action. Jesus was never slothful; His entire earthly life was characterized by an unswerving commitment to fulfilling the Father's will, declaring, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work" John 4:34. He diligently sowed the seeds of the kingdom through His teaching and parables, tirelessly healed the sick, compassionately ministered to the multitudes, and ultimately, diligently pursued His mission to the cross, ensuring that the ultimate "want" of humanity—our spiritual poverty, separation from God, and bondage to sin—would be overcome through His perfect, ultimate sacrifice. Unlike the sluggard who faces inevitable ruin, those who are united "in Christ" are delivered from spiritual destitution, not by their own perfect diligence, but by His perfect, diligent obedience and atoning work. Furthermore, Jesus' parables, such as the Parable of the Talents, powerfully underscore the importance of diligent stewardship of the gifts, resources, and opportunities God provides, warning explicitly against the "wicked and slothful servant" who buries his talent. Thus, Christ not only saves us from the ultimate spiritual "poverty" but also calls us, empowered by His indwelling Spirit, to a life of diligent service and responsible stewardship, thereby avoiding the earthly "want" that inevitably comes from neglecting our God-given responsibilities.